Fan-favourite fighter Ermac is coming to Mortal Kombat 1 on 16 April 2024, debuting as a playable character after a cameo appearance in the game’s Story Mode. In a new trailer, NetherRealm Studios has revealed the first new glimpse at Ermac, revealing a fresh outfit, alongside various soul-infused abilities.
Those keen to play as Ermac will learn to wield a range of new moves, most of which involve harnessing glowing soul energy to throw around opponents. Ermac is a telekinetic fighter specialising in ranged attacks, and can deploy soul energy for a range of combos: he can summon a soul being to grab a fighter, and then pummel them from the front.
He can hang enemies mid-air, punch using soul energy, defend using souls, and crush with dozens of soul hands. Ermac’s Fatality is equally impressive: using his unique abilities, he can squish enemies into a big pile of bones and gore.
Read: Mortal Kombat 1’s Kameo System Opens Up A New Realm of Possibilities
Also revealed in the new Ermac trailer is Kameo Fighter Mavado, a lesser-known Mortal Kombat character who arrives as a surprise addition to the Kameo roster.
The new trailer is a good showing for Ermac, who continues to be one of the most fascinating characters in the Mortal Kombat franchise. Beyond his neat aesthetic and soul powers, it’s worth noting that Ermac is even cooler for his ridiculous back story.
He started life as a rumour, as players of the original version of Mortal Kombat discovered a hidden submenu titled “ERMACS” in the game. This is short for “Error Macro” and referred to a system for catching coding bugs, but players quickly interpreted it as a tease for a new character, and thus began building a mythos around “Ermac” – a hidden ninja character who could allegedly be unlocked by performing a series of tasks.
The rumours gained such popularity amongst Mortal Kombat players that developers eventually decided to include Ermac as an official character. He made his debut in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, and has since become an official part of Mortal Kombat canon.
As announced, he’ll now join the fighting roster of Mortal Kombat 1, bringing his unique soul powers to the battlefield. Those keen to play as Ermac will be able to play him in early access from 16 April 2024, with his full standalone release arriving on 23 April 2024.
